Expanding The Reach: Newsletter

ETR Newsletter

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A Look Back on Expanding the Reach Efforts in Arizona, Arkansas, and New York

EDUCATION NEWS BRIEFS

Many Arizona project schools had high participation in ETR II, beginning with the well-attended Kick-Off event in January featuring Dr. Anne Cunningham. At February meetings between ETR Technical Assistance Specialists and district/school leadership teams, plans for professional development activities were scheduled to begin following Arizona’s spring state testing. Principals from all three districts attended a Principals’ Leadership Day in April with reading specialists, Stephanie Hamilton and Barbara Camerlo. In May, reading coaches and administrators from the three districts joined coaching expert, Dr. Rita Bean, for a day-long event and followed up by joining the coaches’ conference calls in the fall. District teachers from Buckeye and Laveen attended professional development days with reading experts Dr. Anne Cunningham and Dr. Tim Shanahan, specially designed to address their needs as the school year began in August.

The Buckeye district scheduled a series of school-based events throughout the contract year to support their ongoing reading improvement goals. They systematically addressed Literacy Centers, the 90-minute block and data analysis to target instructional strategies based on student data. Visits by Gloria Williams and Barbara Camerlo focused on classroom observations and analyzing data. The influence of ETR professional development and technical assistance can be seen in the schools and classrooms of teachers who participated in project events. ETR and district staff has noted an increased emphasis on research-based teaching strategies, on effectively using assessment data to drive instruction, and on differentiating instruction to meet the needs of individual students. All positive changes for Arizona’s students!

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While freezing rain on January 5 did keep some participants from attending the Kick-Off event in Little Rock on January 6, enthusiasm for the ETR II project was high among those in attendance. From the outset, project staff members were excited about the possibilities for what could be accomplished in the three participating schools. Dr. Tim Shanahan’s presentation at the Kick-Off event and then his return to deliver the keynote address on vocabulary instruction at the August professional development day were well received. Barbara Camerlo presented information on data boards and the use of assessment data to drive instruction to the literacy teams in February. It was exciting to return in March and see that one school had already put the information to use! Barbara Camerlo returned in August and provided more help in this area. A site visit in October, made by Donna Elder, afforded her the opportunity to see another grade level team which had implemented the data board ideas.

Dr. Dorothy Strickland visited in June and spoke about oral language development at a workshop held soon after school was out. One of the most exciting things in working with the schools in Arkansas was seeing the schools strengthen their partnership with the educational cooperative system already in place. One of the two cooperatives involved hosted both the June and August the professional development days. ETR schools received additional training from these cooperatives.

Through district funding, the one literacy coach in the Arkansas ETR schools attended a coaching event featuring Dr. Rita Bean held in Arizona.

	Response to Intervention and English Learners Some school districts are trying to figure out how to apply Response to Intervention, an approach for providing help to struggling students that has gotten a lot of attention in the field of special education, to English-Language Learners. The Center for Research on the Educational Achievement and Teaching of English-Language Learners, or CREATE, has published a brief (PDF) summarizing the latest research on RTI for ELLs.
	Blue Ribbon Schools The U.S. Department of Education established the Blue Ribbon Schools Program to honor public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior or demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement to high levels. In addition to being honored at a ceremony in Washington, DC, where each school receives a plaque and flag signifying their status, these schools serve as models for other schools throughout the nation. Visit the Blue Ribbon Schools Web site to learn more.
	Video Games = Learning? Can video games really help develop early reading skills in children? According to a new study posted on the Center for Children and Technology (CCT) Web site , the “Ready To Learn Initiative Summative Evaluation Study” finds that educational videos and games help prepare low-income preschoolers for kindergarten. The study included 398 children, in 80 preschool classes, from low-income New York and San Francisco neighborhoods. They were taught with a special curriculum that included active video viewing and hands-on play with letters, sounds, and books. According to the study, preschool children developed early reading skills when their teachers used videos and interactive games from public television shows in the classroom. Access to the entire study is available from the CCT Web site.

The district felt it worthwhile to fund this travel and the time to network with other coaches was greatly appreciated.

While the Project Team is sad to see the ETR project come to an end, we are confident that the professional development undertaken and the observations and debriefings completed have been an impetus to continue and further refine each of the school’s work toward increased student achievement.

On November 3, 2009, over 200 ETR teachers and administrators from four districts in Long Island joined together for the ETR Teacher Institute. This day-long event was filled with presentations focusing on vocabulary, comprehension, differentiated instruction, writing and so much more. The event was hosted by Park Avenue Memorial Elementary school in Amityville, New York. Dr. Dorothy Strickland began the day with a keynote address on vocabulary. Teachers and administrators were able to spend time listening to her wisdom and then choose from eight different break out sessions presented by ETR Field Technical Assistant Specialists Donna Elder, Gloria Williams, Marilyn Box, and Jane Hallisy as well as staff from Long Island Regional School Support Center. ETR II Deputy Director, Stephanie Hamilton, was a session favorite presenting information on Differentiated Instruction. Participants commented on how motivational the day was. One participant stated, “Each workshop I attended was informative and beneficial. I had the opportunity to learn many new strategies that I can incorporate in my classroom.”

The ETR II technical assistance in Long Island, New York this year has assisted teachers with taking a closer look at data and using SBRR text.

Teachers from schools in the Roosevelt and Amityville districts created a working relationship with the Long Island Regional School Support Center and were trained in using DIBELS. Teams of teachers within the schools assisted with testing students this fall and more teachers will be receiving the DIBELS training. Field Technical Assistant Specialist Jane Hallisy visited each ETR school this fall to assist in analyzing student data to drive teacher planning for instruction.

Within the few months ETR II has worked with the Long Island schools, some schools have adopted new SBRR Reading series, implemented coaches, and begun to use grade level meetings. Through classroom observations, it is evident that differentiated instruction is being implemented in many classrooms. Schools have connected with local resources of the Long Island Regional School Support Center and received DIBELS training. Administrators had the chance to spend a day with Stu Greenberg focusing on leadership. As a result, teachers and administrators have new ways to think about and teach reading and there is evidence of positive steps being taken in order to bring about change.

FOCUS ON:
Sustaining the Reach beyond ETR II

As we prepare for the conclusion of the Expanding the Reach II (ETR II) initiative in Arkansas, Arizona, and New York, our eyes should now focus on how we can sustain the work of applying scientifically based reading research practices into K-3 classrooms. Throughout the year, the ETR II Project Team has provided technical assistance through the ETR II Web site and its vast resources, site visits, classroom observations, and targeted professional development events to districts and schools. This final newsletter highlights some of those achievements, but more importantly, provides guidance on how to “Sustain the Reach” of ETR II efforts.

Building capacity has been at the foundation of the ETR II work this past year. Our team has encouraged a “team leadership” approach in which many are called upon to become decision-makers and implementers of change. As you think about encouraging leadership in your school–through grade level leaders, literacy coaches or reading specialists–a recent report helps us to better understand teachers today and their attitudes about their profession. Understanding who makes up our “community of learners” broadens our perspective of how to truly achieve student achievement in reading.

Andrew L. Yarrow’s article in Education Week “State of Mind” summarizes findings from a recent Public Agenda and Learning Point Associates’ study “Teaching for a Living: How Teachers See the Profession Today.” Yarrow begins by stating “two out of five of America’s 4 million K-12 teachers appear disheartened and disappointed about their jobs, while others express a variety of reasons for contentment with teaching and their current school environments.” The study was based on a nationwide survey, with more than 100 questions, from nearly 900 teachers. Based on the findings of the survey, teachers have been grouped into three categories: Disheartened, Idealist, and Contented.

A link to the entire report is included in the article. If you access the report, you can view the full survey. As you read the survey questions, think about the teachers in your own school.

Who would you identify as the Idealist, who seems Disheartened about their profession, and who seems to be Contented to be an educator? The findings from this survey can support your efforts in building capacity within your school leadership team.

Another resource that might be helpful as you think about sustaining the reach and building capacity, was published in 1998 by the U.S. Department of Education entitled: “Turning Around Low-Performing Schools: A Guide for State and Local Leaders.” This report lists these critical components for district leaders to consider for achieving student success:

Help schools build leadership, trust, ownership, and a shared vision of change among school staff;
Effectively mobilize district resources to support school change;
Use data to drive reform in assessing school performance, selecting improvement strategies that meet a school’s particular needs, setting high goals, creating strategic plans for improvement, and measuring progress so that the process of change becomes a cycle of continuous improvement;
Promote parental involvement and community support by developing partnerships to bolster reform efforts; and
Stimulate innovation and change by creating high-performance incentives for schools.

As this is a lengthy report, you might consider forming a study group and meeting on a regular basis to discuss key points. Think about what your district’s strengths and weaknesses are as you review the report. Then, identify action steps that will support student achievement. Remember that change takes time so be patient as you work through this process. The end goal is higher student achievement and a foundation in which collaborative capacity can grow over time.


Resources
Center on Instruction In support of state and school district efforts to improve instruction and learning, RMC Research Corporation operates the Center on Instruction, part of a network of regional Comprehensive Centers funded by the U.S. Education Department. Accessible online at centeroninstruction.org, the Center publishes and disseminates research findings and research-based products and technical assistance in a variety of areas, including K-3 Reading, Reading Interventions, Response to Intervention and English-Language Learning. An online catalog describes the extensive resources that are available, free of charge, for reference and professional development. State, district or school professional development staff can download publications, PowerPoint presentations, meeting materials and links to webcasts, all ready to be used with staff. For example, a suite of resource materials including a Participants Guide, a Facilitator’s Guide and a slide presentation with embedded video clips provides a ready-made multi-day workshop for K-3 Reading Coaches. Additional materials include a workshop for principals on conducting Reading Walk-Throughs and a guide for teachers on Using Student Center Activities to Differentiate Reading Instruction. So check out the Center on Instruction’s catalog, newsletters, training offerings and other resources as you continue your state or district’s reading improvement efforts! National Center on Response to Intervention The American Institutes for Research and researchers from Vanderbilt University and the University of Kansas– through funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)–have established the National Center on Response to Intervention. The Center’s mission is to provide technical assistance to states and districts and building the capacity of states to assist districts in implementing proven models for RTI/EIS. Visit their Web site, to access training modules, charts, and webinars about RtI. The monthly newsletter provides timely information and additional resources. Report: Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making Released by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, through the What Works Clearinghouse, this 76 page guide (PDF) offers five recommendations to help educators effectively use data to monitor students’ academic progress and evaluate instructional practices. The guide recommends that schools set a clear vision for school-wide data use, develop a data-driven culture, and make data part of an ongoing cycle of instructional improvement. The guide also recommends teaching students how to use their own data to set learning goals. Literacy Coaches in the Laveen District in Arizona recently shared that they hold a Data Assembly for the entire school to view and analyze data. They also shared that upper elementary students create their own data folders and monitor their own progress. Recommendation Four: Provide supports that foster a data-driven culture within the school, which begins on page 33, describes specific ways to engage your entire school staff in using data to inform instruction.